Sport Motor racing-Game on for F1 teams in virtual future

10:00 07 december 2017

10:00 07 december 2017 Source:
reuters.com

De Vries joins Prema for 2018 F2 campaign

McLaren Formula 1 junior Nyck de Vries will compete for the 2018 Formula 2 title at Prema Racing, as the team completes their driver line-up. This season was de Vries’ rookie campaign in F2. Initially driving for Rapax, he made a mid-season switch to Racing Engineering. The 22-year-old claimed his maiden F2 victory in the Monaco sprint race en route to seventh in the drivers’ standings. Entering the category in 2016, Prema has guided both Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc to the drivers’ title in consecutive seasons. “First of all, I want to thank everyone involved for this opportunity,” de Vries stated. “I am delighted to join such a successful team as Prema and I thank them for putting their faith in me. “We have known each other for a while, so to finally be racing together is very exciting and I can’t wait to go back to Italy. “We’re very much looking forward to the new challenges that F2 has introduced with the new car for 2018. It will be a very competitive championship, may the best win!” Prema team boss Rene Rosin believes that de Vries will be able to challenge for the title next season. “We are delighted to have secured the services of Nyck for the 2018 Formula 2 season,” he said. “His skills are outstanding and we hope that, together with Prema, he will be able to make the most out of his talent and fight for the title, while helping us to get a head start for the new season.” De Vries joins Sean Gelael at the team in 2018. The Indonesian’s switch from Arden to Prema was confirmed last week.

The cash has suddenly come and I think that will ramp up," said the man who has been dubbed the 'Godfather of virtual racing '. He expected all the big F 1 teams to end up partnering with outfits like his.

The prospect of F 1 fans being able to race in the virtual space live alongside drivers taking part in a 9:20 amOctober 22, 2016 Edge of Adhesion. It's called pay-to-win and it's future of gaming . I sim race against people who don't follow motor racing , some don't even have a driver's licence.

Grand prix teams could be racing each other in the virtual world as well as the real one next season, and fighting to sign up the hottest gamer talent, as Formula One wakes to the power of eSports.

Darren Cox, the man behind McLaren's "World's Fastest Gamer" competition who also saw one of his drivers win Formula One's first eSports series in Abu Dhabi last month, feels a tipping point has been reached this year.

The former Nissan motorsport boss, who runs the eSPORTS+CARS virtual team, can also see the day dawning -- in maybe three to five years' time -- when top gamers are earning more than the lowest paid drivers on the real F1 starting grid.

Rowland to test for Racing Engineering, option to remain in F2 next year

Oliver Rowland will test for Racing Engineering in Formula 2’s post-season Abu Dhabi test, with an option for a race seat in 2018 with the Spanish outfit. Rowland will test the car on Friday and Saturday, in order to assess one of his options for next season. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to get some time in another car in preparation for next year,” he said. “They are a great team and I’m excited to see what I can do with the car. “I’m still undecided of what route to take in 2018, the realistic aim now is to be in F1 in 2019 and that’s what I will be pushing for.” Renault’s F1 development driver Rowland was the only driver to consistently challenge eventual champion Charles Leclerc in 2017’s F2 championship. Rowland, who raced for DAMS in 2017, was unlucky to only finish third in the drivers’ championship following disqualifications at Spa and Abu Dhabi through arguably no fault of his own. “I was disappointed with my third place finish in last season’s Formula 2 Championship,” he added. “I think me and the team deserved more but that’s racing. “I would like to thank DAMS for all their hard work, winning in Monaco was the highlight of my career and I wish them every success in the future. “Part of me wants to avenge that and try and win the championship next season but I will let my team decide what is best for my future – with lots of options on the table, we are in no rush to make a decision.” The 25-year-old will take over from Norman Nato, and will test alongside European Formula 3 driver Maximilian Gunther on Friday, with his team-mate on Saturday, yet to be confirmed.

The McLaren Formula One team is looking to hire a new dedicated simulator driver, and it’s turning to video games for help. The contest will pit 10 people against each other this fall at McLaren’s Technology Center in a number of virtual races on different platforms.

Game on for F 1 teams in virtual future . By. REUTERS. last updated: 06/12/2017. The cash has suddenly come and I think that will ramp up,” said the man who has been dubbed the ‘Godfather of virtual racing ’.

In a wide-ranging interview at a simulator centre where his drivers train near London's Gatwick airport, Cox told Reuters that he expected Formula One teams to become involved in next year's eSports series.

"If you look at what the NBA (basketball) has done...they engaged the teams right at the beginning. So 17 of the NBA teams have got franchises for the virtual side of the sport and there’s a draft like in the real world.

"So expect something like that to come out of (Formula One owners) Liberty," added Cox. "It’s happening now. Those conversations are being had.

"This absolutely will be a big priority for them (Liberty) and I believe they have made it clear to the teams that they will be involved, in some way.

"And then I guess it’s down to the teams about how involved they want to be."

Nissan unveils six Star Wars-themed cars at the LA Motor Show

Nissan has unveiled six Star Wars-inspired concept vehicles in partnership with Lucasfilm at the LA Motor Show ahead of the sci-fi franchise’s upcoming release ‘The Last Jedi’.First up is the Altima saloon, which is inspired by the Special Forces TIE Fighter used by the First Order’s elite Special Forces in the movie. The TIE Fighter’s front design inspires the Altima’s front windscreen, as does the matte black paint scheme with its red camouflage stripe on the left side.The wheels also get a TIE Fighter makeover.

Game on for F 1 teams in virtual future . Reuters. | December 7, 2017. HORLEY: Grand prix teams could be racing each other in the virtual world as well as the real one next season, and fighting to sign up the hottest gamer talent, as Formula One wakes to the power of eSports.

Formula One's first eSports series was won by Brendon Leigh, an 18-year-old kitchen porter who had never previously been out of Britain.

Leigh, who drives for Cox's team and emerged triumphant from 63,000 initial hopefuls, is likely to go professional.

Some gamers in other arenas are already earning more than $1 million a year and Cox said the rewards in motorsport were growing all the time.

"If you go back 18 months, these guys were winning an X-box and a free subscription, not any cash. The cash has suddenly come and I think that will ramp up," said the man who has been dubbed the 'Godfather of virtual racing'.

He expected all the big F1 teams to end up partnering with outfits like his.

"Depending on how well marketed it is by Liberty, there will be a new revenue stream," he said.

"The teams...will want to have the best drivers and therefore there will be a fight for the best drivers if one is head and shoulders above the others."

Motor racing - Red Bull junior driver Ticktum wins McLaren F1 test

By Alan Baldwin

“Eventually we want to have the very best virtual drivers from around the globe, playing together across every platform, in every type of motor racing game ; attending eSports events, working and competing as a team ” Cox explains in the press release.

Penske, who’s father Roger founded the family’s giant motor racing team in the US, explained that the deal with Faraday Future would cover three core areas Play your part in shaping F 1 ’s future : Crowdsourcing prize launches F 1 reaches out to fans for Virtual Reality solutions in crowdsourcing

Spain's two times world champion Fernando Alonso recently launched his own virtual team while McLaren appointed Dutch gamer Rudy van Buren to the position of simulator driver after the 25-year-old won the "World's Fastest Gamer" competition.

"A great phrase I heard was ‘nothing changes until everything changes at once’," said Cox.

"Suddenly everything’s happening at the same time and it is a massive benefit to our sport," added the Briton, who was responsible at Nissan for a successful programme that transformed gamers into real racers.

He expected a new wave of technology companies to be attracted to the sport while existing sponsors, particularly those brands targeting a younger demographic, would get more involved.

"This side of things has brought in Logitech to McLaren. They are involved because of World’s Fastest Gamer. And they’ve set a precedent. This is now something that will happen," declared Cox.

Sales of the Formula One game were also likely to accelerate, with knock-on benefits for merchandising.

Cox, meanwhile, dismissed as irrelevant the debate about whether eSport should be considered sport.

"It’s here, it’s got millions of viewers, it’s got a commercial backbone that is strong. It doesn’t matter if someone in sport thinks it’s a sport or not," he said.

"eSports don’t care. And they shouldn’t care and it shouldn’t be a debate.

"I think the only problem we’ve got is people’s attitude within the sport, because they are so blinkered. And I think those blinkers are now coming off." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)

F2 newcomer Charouz Racing reveals 2018 drivers and Ferrari deal .
Charouz Racing System has announced Antonio Fuoco and Louis Deletraz will be its drivers when it enters Formula 2 in 2018. Formula V8 3.5 champions Charouz will switch to F2 next year when the series introduces a new-spec car. Its drivers will carry the Ferrari Driver Academy logo. “I’m thrilled to welcome Louis and Antonio into our team and keen to work with the Ferrari Driver Academy for what will be our inaugural season in Formula 2,” said team principal Antonin Charouz, who is the father of Le Mans class winner Jan Charouz. “Both drivers impressed during their rookie F2 season in 2017 and they clearly learned a lot as the year progressed. “I’m confident they will be able to use that experience to good effect in 2018 so they are challenging at the front of what’s traditionally a very competitive F2 field.” Fuoco drove for Prema last year, finishing eighth in the drivers’ standings in his rookie year. He struggled to match eventual champion Charles Leclerc in the opening half of the season, but took four podiums and a race win in the second half. “I’m really happy to join Charouz Racing System and have a new challenge in F2,” he said. “The team has a good racing pedigree after winning the World Series title this year and everyone is pushing hard to do everything perfectly. “If this happens, I know we can all do a good season together at Charouz.” Deletraz made his debut back in the 2016 season finale in Abu Dhabi with Carlin.

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